Wahida Valiante

Wahida Valiante

Country

Canada

Known for

President of the Canadian Islamic Congress

Dates

Hijri Unknown-Present (AH); Common Era Unknown-Present (CE)

Wahida Valiante

Biography

Wahida Valiante is the president of the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC), of which she was a founding member in 1994. CIC is an independent non-profit research, advocacy, and networking organization in service to Muslims regardless of sectarian affiliation.
Wahida’s professional background is in social work and therapy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from York University in Toronto, Canada and a master’s in social work from the University of Toronto. She has additional training and certification in the treatment of trauma, loss, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder as well as family mediation. Wahida was recognized by the Rubena Willis Counseling Centre in Ajax, Ontario for her contributions to the fight against violence against women and children.
Wahida has also published and lectured on topics relating to her professional experience, including the incorporation of Quranic concepts into counseling methods. She is also interested in tailoring social work interventions to the cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds of families involved with a focus on intergenerational conflict and abuse. In addition to her work-related publications, she writes for the CIC’s flagship publication about social issues, religious issues, gender, social justice, and international and domestic politics.
In 2010 she was named one of the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre’s 500 most influential Muslims.